Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“I don’t give a shit how many people you’ve been with,” I ground out. “You’ll only fuck me from now on.”
“Pretty fucking presumptuous of you,” she scoffed.
“Go ahead and try,” I replied with a chuckle. “See what happens.”
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Reese pause. Her entire body stilled.
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m not fucking threatening you.” I looked at her in disbelief. “Feel free to do whatever you want. Try and pick some guy up. I’m sure Kenny would be willing to give you a ride.”
“Ew. Kenny and I are barely friends. I would never sleep with him.”
“You won’t want to sleep with anyone,” I explained. “You’re bonded now. You’re not going to find anyone else attractive.”
“Yeah, right,” she scoffed.
“Even if you convinced yourself that you had,” I warned. “Their touch won’t be welcome. It’ll be uncomfortable at best.”
“You’re kidding. I can’t even touch other men?” she ground out angrily.
“You can touch them,” I clarified. “But not sexually or with the intention of fucking them.”
“This just gets better and better.”
“You work at a bank,” I replied, glancing at her as I pulled onto the freeway. “You must’ve known at least a little about how the mating bond worked.”
“You’re the first Vampire I’ve ever seen there,” she shot back. “It’s not like there are any Vampires in my social circle. How the hell would I know how the frigging mating bond worked?”
“You acted like you knew it was a forever thing,” I said slowly, horror making my heart pound. “You said—”
“Yeah, I know that mates are forever,” she said quickly, her voice sharp. “But beyond what they say in fucking magazines—that I don’t even read, by the way. My best friend reads them and passes on what she thinks is pertinent info while I try to tune her out. I don’t know shit.”
“Nothing in those magazines is real.”
“I fucking knew it!” she shouted.
The longer we were in the car, the more agitated she got. She was mumbling under her breath, the words too garbled for me to understand. Her knee bounced. Eventually, not touching became too uncomfortable for both of us, and with a curse, she jerked my hand back to her bare thigh.
Instead of taking the exit that would’ve brought her to a quiet Italian restaurant like I’d planned, I stayed on the freeway. I needed reinforcements.
“It’s gonna be okay,” I reassured her, my fingers gently smoothing back and forth.
“Easy for you to say,” she said tiredly. “Your entire life wasn’t just upended because you invited a Vampire in to fuck you on your couch.”
I held back a laugh. She wasn’t what I wanted. It still felt like the Gods had fucked me for a second time, and a simmering rage at the universe still pulsed under my skin, but I couldn’t deny that she was kind of funny. She had so much fucking energy. I bet she’d never sat still for more than a few minutes in her life. She had an answer or a comeback for everything.
I wasn’t sure how I’d deal with any of that long-term, but it was a bit amusing for the moment.
“Actually, you’re wrong.”
“I’m never wrong.”
“My life won’t be the same now either.”
“How’s that?” she asked snidely.
“Well, for one, I have to quit my job.”
“I’m going to pretend that makes sense.” She reached over and patted my thigh condescendingly.
I shook my head. Jesus, she was exhausting. “I have a contract with your government,” I explained. “Once a Vampire finds their mate, they’re no longer allowed to fulfill that contract.”
“That’s bullshit,” she snapped, suddenly pissed on my behalf. “So, don’t tell them.”
“Doesn’t work that way,” I replied. “It’s against our laws for me to continue once I’m mated. To do so would be a pretty flagrant breach of ethics.”
“How so?”
“Difficult to explain.” I hedged. “It’s just not done.”
“So, you have to find another job?”
I shrugged and slid my hand deeper into the hole in her jeans. Reese let out a little whoosh of air and relaxed into the seat. Shit. I’d forgotten that the tension that was building in me was magnified for her. No wonder she wouldn’t shut the hell up. She was trying to distract herself.
“I’m good for a while,” I said, tightening my hand on her thigh. “Our family has made plenty of investments that have paid off over the years.”
“You’re loaded, aren’t you?”
“We’re comfortable.”
“That’s what rich people say.” She shuddered. “I’m not quitting my job.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“I like working there. I get to see Noah every day, and sometimes Mr. Miranda stops by, and I get to see him, too.”
“Mr. Miranda?”
“Noah’s husband. He was my teacher in high school, and we’ve stayed close.”
That sounded…off.
“Don’t make that face. Number one, Mr. Miranda is very gay, and number two, he isn’t a sleaze. They’re like my dads.”